Fiske guide to colleges 2022 pdf

The University of Iowa is one of the institutions that's once again been selected by the Fiske Guide ... [+] as among the nation's 20 "Best Buy" colleges.

The latest edition (2023) of the Fiske Guide to Colleges has been published, and as in years’ past, it contains what the publication considers to be the 20 “Best Buys” among the nation’s colleges and universities.

That list is comprised of 10 public and 10 private colleges and universities that in the judgment of the editors, offer “outstanding educational value as determined by academic quality in relation to the net cost of attendance.”

Making this year’s Best Buys list are:

Public

• Arizona State University
• University of Florida
• University of Iowa
• New College of Florida
• University of New Mexico
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Purdue University
• SUNY-Stony Brook University
• Truman State University
• University of Washington

Private

• Centre College
• The Cooper Union
• Lawrence University
• Oglethorpe University
• Olin College of Engineering
• Rice University
• St. John’s College
• Vanderbilt University
• Warren Wilson College
• Xavier University of Louisiana

A brief narrative describes each of the institutions on the list. For example, here is the description of the University of Iowa: “A bargain compared with other Big Ten schools such as Michigan and Illinois. Iowa is world-famous for its creative writing program and Writers’ Workshop. Other areas of strength include health sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and business. Future scientists should check out the Research Fellows Program. The university is a regional draw, although more students are arriving from outside the Midwest.”

Xavier University of Louisiana is described this way: “The only historically Black college with Roman Catholic ties, Xavier is bigger than a small college but smaller than most universities. Competes with Howard, LSU, Morehouse, and Spelman. Strong in pharmacy and the physical sciences and nationally known for turning out medical students and science teachers. Twelve percent of students are Catholic. Location in New Orleans is a big plus.”

Many of this year’s institutions have been included in previous Best Buy lists by Fiske. For example, of the 10 Best Buy public institutions on this year’s list, seven were also selected last year (Arizona State University, University of Florida, University of Iowa, New College of Florida, Purdue University, Truman State University and University of Washington).

Of this year’s top 10 private Best Buy schools, all but one - St. John’s College - were also included on the 2022 list.

The Fiske Guide to Collegeswas begun in 1982 by Edward B. Fiske, who was the education editor of The New York Timesfrom 1974 to 1987. It first appeared as the The New York Times Selective Guide to Colleges, but it now carries Fiske’s name and is published annually through Sourcebooks. Now in its 39th edition, the Fiske Guide is generally regarded as one of the most popular of the many college and university guides published each year.

The guide includes detailed descriptions of more than 320 selective colleges and universities based on various sources of information including institutional questionnaires and interviews with students. The descriptions cover topics such as campus setting, academics, student body makeup, financial aid, housing and food services, social life and extracurricular activities.

In addition to the write-ups, the Guide categorizes each college by price and the average amount of debt that students accumulate. Each school is also rated on a one-to-five scale in three categories: academics, social life, and quality of life. Other useful lists include the schools that no longer require the ACT or SAT for admissions and the colleges with strong programs for students with learning disabilities.

Citing the many controversies that have come to surround the use of standardized admission tests like the ACT and SAT, Fiske elected - with this year’s issue - todiscontinue reporting a college’s test score ranges. Edward Fiske explained the decision this way: "We take pride in our reputation as a trusted source of reliable admissions information. Rather than publish inaccurate and misleading data, we have decided to omit any reporting of score ranges for the foreseeable future. To do otherwise would be a disservice to our readers."

"The best college guide you can buy."―USA Today

Every college and university has a story, and no one tells those stories like former New York Times education editor Edward B. Fiske. That's why, for nearly 40 years, the Fiske Guide to Colleges has been the leading guide to 320+ four-year schools, including quotes from real students and information you won't find on college websites.

Fully updated and expanded every year, Fiske is the most authoritative source of information for college-bound students and their parents. Helpful, honest, and straightforward, the Fiske Guide to Colleges delivers an insider's look at what it's really like to be a student at the "best and most interesting" schools in the United States, plus Canada, Great Britain, and Ireland―so you can find the best fits for you.

In addition to detailed and candid stories on each school, you will find:

• A self-quiz to help you understand what you are really looking for in a college
• Lists of strong programs and popular majors at each college
• "Overlap" listings to help you expand your options
• Indexes that break down schools by state, price, and average debt
• Exclusive academic, social, and quality-of-life ratings
• All the basics, including financial aid stats, and acceptance rates

Plus a special section highlighting the 20 public and private Best Buy schools―colleges that provide the best educational value